Addressing Misconduct and Wrongdoing at CSIS

2025 Report

Message from the Director

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) continues to take its commitment to addressing misconduct and wrongdoing seriously, as demonstrated in this second annual report.

Since the last report, CSIS has continued to take concrete actions to address misconduct and promote a respectful workplace, as well as equip employees, managers, and human resources practitioners with the training and support they need.

In the past year, we’ve welcomed a new ombuds and launched their office, which offers employees an opportunity to report concerns and receive support, while also serving as a feedback mechanism for senior management. We have reviewed our labour relations processes and case management tools to address gaps and timeliness concerns. We’ve set clear expectations of our leadership, and have developed and delivered training programs for human resources practitioners, managers and executives that focus on labour relations, respectful workplace practices, as well as effective management of misconduct and performance management.

As we continue to strive for a healthy and safe work environment, as well as fostering a culture of respect, inclusivity, and accountability, our executive team and our employees must work together to achieve these goals. This is now assessed as part of the performance management cycle, and preventing misconduct by addressing inappropriate behaviour early remains a priority.

To further support these goals, CSIS will continue to ensure that it has clear policies, processes, and guidance to ensure that all employees understand expectations, accountabilities, requirements, and potential consequences.

CSIS will continue to be transparent with employees on workplace issues and related decisions, and will continue to enhance employee support. The concrete measures taken this past year demonstrate our commitment to listening, learning from past mistakes, and improving our work culture. While we acknowledge that meaningful change takes time and a sustained commitment, it is essential that we provide an environment where CSIS employees can be at their best in order to ensure the safety, security and prosperity of Canada and all Canadians.

Dan Rogers

Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service

Introduction

CSIS is at the forefront of Canada’s national security. Its mandate is to investigate activities suspected of constituting threats to the security of Canada, to report these to the Government of Canada, and to take measures to reduce these threats in accordance with relevant legal requirements and ministerial direction.

CSIS is powered by a team of highly skilled and devoted employees, who are passionate about their work and dedicated to safeguarding Canada’s interests. They bring a distinctive blend of expertise and experiences to their work, shaped by their unique backgrounds, cultures, and histories. This diversity of talent and perspective is a key strength of the organization, and enables CSIS employees to effectively serve Canada’s interests and protect its safety, security and prosperity.

The importance of respectful and professional conduct in the workplace is critical to CSIS’ success, and every employee, manager, and executive is expected to adhere to the values outlined in the CSIS Code of Conduct, which is a foundational piece that sets out CSIS’ values and expected behaviours in the workplace. The core values of respect for people, respect for democracy, integrity, stewardship, and excellence underpin the organization’s mission.

CSIS is dedicated to creating a work environment that is respectful, inclusive, and free from harassment and misconduct. As part of this commitment, the organization is releasing its second annual report, which provides an update on the organization’s efforts to address and mitigate these incidents. The report includes information on how CSIS addresses misconduct and wrongdoing, the different reporting mechanisms and resources available to support employees who have experienced or witnessed misconduct, as well as potential resolution outcomes. While ensuring the mechanisms and processes are in place to provide avenues for reporting and redress, CSIS aims to continue encouraging employees to report suspected misconduct or wrongdoing, and to ensure that all employees feel safe and supported in the workplace.

This report includes information about the standards of behaviour that are expected from CSIS employees at all levels (including management/executives), about the processes in place to support employees who suspect or have experienced misconduct or wrongdoing, as well as specifics on the number of complaints received, investigations carried out, and the measures taken to address these complaints when founded.

Over the past year, CSIS has observed an increase in reported allegations of misconduct and the number of active misconduct files in 2025 remained high, while still in line with previous years. This trend is worrying, but it is also an indicator that employees are using the reporting mechanisms available to them, that managers are addressing allegations of misconduct, and that the organization’s efforts to promote a culture of transparency and accountability are yielding results.

We continue to encourage employees who experience or witness misconduct or wrongdoing to report these incidents, without fear of reprisal. These situations can be distressing, and multiple channels of support are available for employees.

Workplace standards at CSIS

CSIS recognizes the importance of creating a work environment where employees feel valued, respected, supported, and empowered to report incidents. The organization is committed to providing the necessary processes and support to make this a reality. Every employee is required to attest annually to the CSIS Code of Conduct, which provides the organization with a roadmap for a healthy workplace culture and identifies behaviours that will not be tolerated. This creates an ongoing commitment on the part of every individual to promoting and preserving a respectful and safe culture.

The organization has made progress in the last year to improve its reporting and response mechanisms and continues to adhere to the requirements and workplace standards set out in Part II of the Canada Labour Code, the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations, the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act, and the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act.

CSIS will continue to analyze employee feedback and implement improvements as needed, to ensure that concerns are addressed and its processes are fair, effective, and supportive of all employees.

More information about processes and resources available to employees can be found in Annex A.

Data and trends

Case overview

The number of allegations or complaints received under the breach of conduct and harassment and violence categories at CSIS in 2025 is comparable to those received in 2024.

Similar to 2024, there were no founded cases of wrongdoing, and/or inquiries or internal disclosures that led to an investigation under the Senior Officer for Disclosure of Wrongdoing in 2025.

*Investigations or fact-finding inquiries are typically launched for every new case of breach of conduct. For some notices of occurrence for harassment and violence, one investigation could be launched for several notices. (e.g., five employees report about the same issue, but only one investigation is launched.)

**The number of closed or resolved cases includes cases that were founded or unfounded, cases where the respondent has left CSIS or cases that were resolved informally by management.

***New cases of wrongdoing do not include general inquiries that did not result in a formal disclosure of wrongdoing.

In 2025, a total of 87 complaints or allegations of misconduct at CSIS were initiated (new cases, excluding wrongdoing consultations), 65 investigations or fact-finding inquiries were launched, 36 cases were deemed founded and 70 cases were closed or resolved.

One of the breach of conduct cases pertained to an unauthorized access of documents, and included 60 individual respondents, resulting in a separate fact-finding inquiry for each case. A total of 34 of these cases were deemed unfounded while the 26 others were deemed founded. For the purpose of this report, this will count as one case. Given that the disciplinary process for these cases was not concluded at the end of 2025, the outcomes of the fact-finding inquiries will be reported on in the 2026 report.

Breach of conduct

Breaches of conduct cover a wide range of unacceptable behaviours or actions that violate standards of conduct set out in the CSIS Code of Conduct and other applicable legislation and policies. The CSIS Code of Conduct provides detailed information on expected behaviours.  

Further, the mandatory CSIS Code of Conduct annual attestation ensures that all employees are regularly informed of acceptable workplace behaviours. 

Of the 80 breach of conduct cases handled in 2025, which included 33 carried over from the previous year, 49 were closed or resolved. A total of 29 of these cases were deemed founded and employees received disciplinary measures. Another 11 cases were resolved either through informal steps taken by management or because the employees resigned, and 9 cases were deemed unfounded.  

Table 2. Breach of conduct founded cases by category

*Total founded cases’ categories do not match total founded cases because founded cases are often counted in several categories as they constitute a breach of each of those categories. (E.g., a case of breach of trust may also be counted in the attendance management category.)

**New category added in 2025.

Table 2 outlines founded misconduct cases by category in 2025.

Examples of the Respectful workplace category violations include: unprofessional behaviour, disregard for health and safety regulations, intimidation, insubordination, and discrimination.

Examples of the Breach of trust category violations include: entering a CSIS facility with unauthorized equipment (for example, an unauthorized cellular/smart phone) and concerns regarding access or use of classified information.

Examples of the Inappropriate behaviours category violations include: Inappropriate use of corporate resources and disrespectful behaviours towards colleagues and/or clients.

The Other category includes all types of cases that had too few instances to report separately, due to potential breaches of legislated privacy requirements

Accessibility text for Figure 1.

The breach of conduct founded cases by category percentage for 2025 chart, seen in Figure 1, shows the total number of founded cases by category in 2025 combined in a pie chart. Of all cases, the respectful workplace category makes up 23%, attendance management 13%, breach of trust 23%, inappropriate behaviours 31%, and the other category 10%. 

Breach of conduct disciplinary measures

Founded cases of breach of conduct are addressed through appropriate disciplinary measures to correct behaviours and reinforce accountability of actions. The following table outlines the disciplinary measures that were implemented over the reporting timeframe. 

*Note that the total disciplinary measures may not match the total founded cases because in some cases one employee had several founded cases but only one disciplinary measure (e.g., termination), while in other cases one employee could receive several disciplinary measures for one founded case (e.g., suspension and mandatory training as an administrative measure).

**Administrative measures are measures that seek to correct misbehaviour by making any necessary adjustments to a situation. Some situations may require the application of several administrative measures. They can include measures ranging from additional training or coaching to work-related adjustments such as postponing or ending an acting assignment.

Harassment and violence

Incidents of harassment and violence in the workplace as defined by the Canada Labour Code include any action, conduct or comment, including of a sexual nature, that can reasonably be expected to cause offence, humiliation or other physical or psychological injury or illness to an employee, including any prescribed action, conduct or comment. Within this category, most cases are related to harassment, not violence, and often lead to a negotiated resolution resulting in corrective measures in the workplace.

Every notice of occurrence results in a process outlined in the Canada Labour Code and the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations to reach a resolution. As part of this process, investigations conducted by the Harassment and Violence Prevention and Resolution Office produce recommendations to resolve workplace issues, regardless of findings, in accordance with the Office's mandate to prevent, protect, and restore the workplace.

Of the 66 notices of occurrences handled in 2025, including 26 that were carried over from the previous year, 21 were closed or resolved. A total of 7 cases were deemed founded and 18 investigations were initiated.  

Harassment and violence resolutions

When a notice of occurrence is received, CSIS must follow the process outlined in the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations to address employee concerns or to reach a resolution through a negotiated resolution, conciliation or an investigation.^{Footnote 1}  After an investigation, whether allegations are founded or unfounded, recommendations for workplace remediation are considered, and all cases are considered resolved. Resolutions may result from a negotiated resolution process or an investigation, including those that began in a previous calendar year.

In 2025, there were 21 file resolutions, including:

• 3 resolved through negotiated resolution, through Informal Conflict Management Services or mediation with an external mediator.
• 10 resolved following an investigation, which resulted in an action plan for workplace restoration.
• 8 withdrawn and resolved through workplace assessments, which resulted in additional preventative measures being implemented in the work environment.

It took an average of 11 months to complete the resolution process for an occurrence, which is within the allowable 1-year period provided in the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations and comparable to previous years.

In this reporting period, a subset of workplace harassment and violence allegations reported by employees were attributed to prohibited grounds under the Canadian Human Rights Act: 3 concerning religion, 9 concerning sex, and 1 concerning disability.

In those cases where there may be grounds for disciplinary action, the case information is shared with Labour Relations, which determines whether the matter should be brought to the CSIS Disciplinary Committee. In 2025, 7 cases were referred to Labour Relations. That number is too low to allow for more details to be shared from a privacy perspective, but they are included in the total breach of conduct data, which falls under the purview of Labour Relations.

When cases of harassment and violence in the workplace are investigated, the external investigator is responsible for determining if the allegations meet the definition of harassment, as defined in the Canada Labour Code. At CSIS, regardless of the outcome of the complaint, recommendations for workplace restorative actions are put forward, because even if a case does not meet the threshold for harassment, there may be alternative measures required to restore the workplace. In 2025, there were 3 unfounded cases. These are included in the resolved numbers, as per the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations. 

Wrongdoing

During the reporting period, the Senior Officer for Disclosure of Wrongdoing addressed several general inquiries and internal disclosures. None were deemed to have met the threshold for founded wrongdoing under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. The employees were offered guidance and support, and, where appropriate, encouraged to take their concerns to the alternative mechanisms within CSIS. Assessment of several disclosures remains in progress at the end of the reporting period. 

Recourse

Although CSIS strives to address misconduct and wrongdoing through processes that are fair, impartial, and completed in a professional and respectful manner, in some cases, employees may disagree with an outcome. In these cases, they may choose to grieve the decision via different recourse processes at their disposal (e.g., internal grievance process, administrative tribunals).

Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board:

In 2025, one CSIS complaint was settled before the Board and one case proceeded to a hearing—both cases concerned termination of employment. The outcome of the latter case was still pending at the end of 2025.

Canadian Human Rights Commission and Canadian Human Rights Tribunal:

In early 2025, there were 8 active CSIS complaints before the Commission and 5 were subsequently settled through formal channels. Two more complaints were reactivated further to being dormant for a number of years. Complaints relate to the following grounds: national or ethnic origin, race, religion, disability, colour, and gender identity or expression.

Provincial and federal courts:

In 2025, there were 3 active complaints filed in provincial courts related to demotion, failure to accommodate, and harassment.

Initiatives to mitigate misconduct and wrongdoing

In 2025, CSIS took concrete actions to address and mitigate misconduct and wrongdoing through a variety of initiatives. While some of these initiatives occurred in early 2026, the planning and preparation began in 2025. These are just some of the initiatives taken:

• Mandated annual attestation by employees that they have read, understood, and will adhere to the CSIS Code of Conduct and the Policy on Conflict of Interest.
• Developed core behavioural competencies for all employees and managers to further support expectations set out in the CSIS Code of Conduct (introduced in early 2026). 
• Revised priorities and objectives assessed in executive performance management evaluations, namely to increase trust in leadership and improve internal communications to foster pride and purpose across the organization. This will be done using a new framework to build a stronger culture, centralized consultative teams and modern intranet and collaboration tools.
• Reviewed training curriculums for managers and executives to ensure they remain relevant and to facilitate people-management practices in line with expected workplace behaviours.
• Offered labour relations training by the Centre for Labour and Employment Law for managers, executives, and HR practitioners.
• Delivered two HR workshops in 2025 to managers on topics related to misconduct and prevention of harassment and violence in the workplace.
• Released internally the CSIS Ombuds’ First 100-Day Report, which included key information on issues and trends heard from employees. 
• Updated the information on reporting processes and other workplace issues on the intranet.
• Published the CSIS 2026–2028 Accessibility Plan, which was developed in consultation with employees and outlines the organization’s commitment to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment (published in early 2026).

Conclusion

This report presents a comprehensive statistical overview of misconduct and wrongdoing incidents where there was a breach of the CSIS Code of Conduct or incidents of harassment or violence. The report highlights the importance of sustained education and reinforcement of the values and behaviours expected to shape the organization’s culture. CSIS is committed to continuing its efforts to build trust and confidence in its processes and outcomes. The organization will implement additional measures to encourage increased reporting and transparency, and will continue to report on the concrete actions it is taking in future reports. More work is still needed and CSIS is dedicated to making progress and creating a workplace that is respectful, healthy, and safe for all employees.

Annex A

Internal processes

Employee-initiated resolution process and potential administrative investigations

CSIS’ Harassment and Violence Prevention and Resolution Office (the “Office”) offers employees of all levels confidential guidance on issues related to harassment and violence in the workplace. As the designated recipient, pursuant to the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations, the Office is responsible for ensuring that all formal notices of occurrences received are addressed in accordance with the resolution processes as outlined in the Canada Labour Code regulations. In addition to overseeing the resolution process, the Office is also responsible for implementing policies, tracking trends, and ensuring adherence to federally legislated regulations. Investigations conducted under the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations process are preventative in nature and seek to identify and mitigate workplace risk factors and any systemic issues that may exist.  

Management-driven fact-finding or administrative investigations on allegations of breaches of conduct

The Labour Relations Unit at CSIS provides support to management in determining the best course of action to address concerns, including exploring all available options for resolution, conducting a fact-finding exercise, or deciding whether to initiate a formal administrative investigation. Managers are advised to seek guidance from Labour Relations when they identify behaviours that may contravene the CSIS Code of Conduct or need to further examine concerns raised. The facts gathered during these processes will inform potential administrative or disciplinary measures. The types of misconduct that may warrant investigation include:

• Breaches of trust and lack of integrity: Behaviour that compromises the employer’s trust in an employee’s honesty, loyalty, or discretion.
• Non-compliance and insubordination: Failure or refusal to adhere to legitimate workplace policies, rules, or directives.
• Disruptive or harmful behaviour: Behaviour that harms individuals, compromises workplace safety, or negatively impacts the work environment.

For formal Code of Conduct investigations, CSIS engages internal labour relations resources or external investigators to conduct a thorough examination.

Employee-driven administrative investigations on allegations of wrongdoing

CSIS offers a secure and confidential way for employees to report suspected wrongdoing under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, while also safeguarding them from reprisal. The Senior Officer for Disclosure of Wrongdoing, appointed by the Director of CSIS, serves as an impartial intermediary to collect, assess, and investigate reports of wrongdoing. The current Senior Officer is the CSIS Chief Audit and Evaluation Executive.

The Senior Officer evaluates each disclosure to determine whether there is enough evidence to warrant a formal investigation under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. If necessary, the Senior Officer may appoint an independent investigator from within or outside the organization to conduct a thorough review. In cases where the evidence is insufficient to proceed, the Senior Officer will notify the employee who made the disclosure of the outcome and provide information on alternative avenues for recourse, as applicable. If the disclosure reveals potential criminal activity, the Senior Officer will refer the matter to the relevant law enforcement agency for further action.

Unlike other federal public sector organizations that may disclose wrongdoing through the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner, in accordance with the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, CSIS employees may only do so through the Senior Officer for Disclosure of Wrongdoing.

External process

Canadian Human Rights Commission

The Canadian Human Rights Commission is an independent organization that advocates for human rights and provides a fair and impartial process for resolving disputes related to discrimination. The Commission is responsible for enforcing the Canadian Human Rights Act, which protects employees from discrimination based on prohibited grounds such as race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability, or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or a record suspension has been ordered. When a CSIS employee files a human rights complaint with the Commission, the CSIS Labour Relations Unit and other internal stakeholders are responsible for reviewing the complaint and coordinating the organization’s response to the Commission, ensuring that all internal mechanisms outlined in the collective agreement or other applicable policies have been exhausted before pursuing a complaint with the Commission.

Outcomes

Harassment and violence

In all investigated cases of harassment and violence in the workplace, the final investigation report identifies if the allegations meet the definition of harassment as defined in Part II of the Canada Labour Code, and includes root causes and recommendations for prevention. The anonymized investigative report is then shared with the Workplace Health and Safety Committees and the designated employer/manager who collaboratively determine which recommendations will be implemented in the workplace in order to meet the employer’s obligations under the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations. The primary objective in resolving reported incidents of harassment and violence, whether founded or unfounded, is to ensure that affected employees are aware of the support services available to them as well as address workplace risk factors to ensure and restore a healthy and respectful work environment. Although the focus of the resolution process is health and safety in the workplace, in cases where workplace harassment has occurred, information will be shared with Labour Relations to determine if a disciplinary measure will be imposed.

Breach of conduct

In the event of a founded breach of conduct, the CSIS Disciplinary Committee is responsible for determining the appropriate corrective measure(s) to be taken. The Committee, which is comprised of the Director General of Health and Workplace Management, the employee’s director general or a delegated authority, and a representative from Labour Relations, ensures that fair and reasonable decisions are made, in line with internal and external precedents. Corrective measures can include disciplinary actions, such as verbal or written reprimands, suspension without pay, financial penalties, demotion, or termination of employment, as well as administrative measures, such as training or coaching, as appropriate.

Wrongdoing

In a founded case of wrongdoing, the Director consults with the head of Human Resources to determine the appropriate disciplinary action.

Discrimination

Discrimination complaints filed via the Canadian Human Rights Commission generally result in mediated settlements, dismissal of the complaint or referral to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for a binding order. Successful complaints can lead to compensation for lost wages, or for pain and suffering, as well as orders to stop discriminatory practices. 

Additional resources

Experiencing or witnessing an act of misconduct or wrongdoing can be distressing, especially when it involves harassment, discrimination, or violence. It is important for employees to know the different avenues that are available to them for guidance and support. Many of these more informal channels also seek to resolve issues at the outset before conflict escalates and workplace issues become more complex. These include:

Informal Conflict Management Services: They offer employees confidential and impartial coaching on conflict management and guidance on possible recourses should they suspect or be subject to misconduct or wrongdoing. They also offer mediation and facilitated discussion, training, and workplace assessments to help identify and resolve root causes of conflict.

CSIS Office of the Ombuds: The Office of the Ombuds is an independent office that reports to the Director of CSIS on overarching and anonymized employee issues and organizational trends. The Ombuds provides employees with an informal, confidential, and impartial safe space to talk about work-related issues and discuss all options, both formal and informal, to facilitate resolution. In their first 100 days with CSIS, the Ombuds had already met with over 64 employees and held 72 confidential meetings.

Employee Assistance Program: This program is an invaluable resource for employees needing mental health support because of distress or trauma, providing confidential access to psychological counselling services.

CSIS Employees’ Association: This association may represent non-unionized employees involved in a misconduct or wrongdoing situation, at their request, by providing guidance and support throughout the process.

Public Service Alliance of Canada—Union of Safety and Justice Employees: This union includes public service workers across Canada’s federal justice system and offers a wide range of support to the employees it represents.